13.02.1937 – 15.09.2020

 

 Fr James Thottakath passed away quietly on 15 September 2020 after fighting cancer for a while. After a long period of active life as a pastor, he spent his final days in Christ Hall cheerfully accepting the suffering as a reward from the Master. Only his family members and a few Jesuits could be present for his funeral due to the Covid restrictions. 

Fr James was born on 13 February 1937 at Kothad in Ernakulam Dt, in the Archdiocese of Verapoly. After his Pre-degree at St. Joseph’s College, Trichy, he joined the Jesuit Novitiate in Beschi College, Dindigul in 1957. After completing his Juniorate and Philosophy at Sacred Heart College, Shembaganur, he taught for two years in Loyola School, Trivandrum and St. Michael’s School, Kannur.  In 1965 he went back to St Joseph’s College, Trichy to do his degree studies.  I had the opportunity to live with him in Trichy for a period of four years. I recall that during the games time, he would be more interested in working in the field than joining any game. He was quiet and gentle, never got angry with people, gave a smile to those who behaved rudely, and never joined in gossiping. After his theology at St. Mary’s College, Kurseong, Fr James was ordained a priest on 27 March 1971 at Kothad, his home parish. He took his final vows in the Society in 1977 at Mattul, Kannur.

Fr James spent the earlier years of his priesthood in the Chirakkal Mission (Kannur) that was nurtured by the Italian Jesuits. Fr James began his ministry as Assistant Vicar at Pattuvam. Later he was appointed Vicar of Thavam Parish. The People were accustomed to receiving financial help from the missionaries, gratis. Since Fr James did not have the financial resources, he decided to take a different path in order to make the people self-reliant. He started a cooperative society for them to raise buffaloes and to help them make a living. The project was not very much a success. He also experimented with brackish water prawn cultivation for the same purpose.  Eventually both the projects were closed down and he moved to S.M. Farm, Pariyaram, as Superior in 1990.  After his three-year term, he bid goodbye to Chirakkal Mission and shifted his field of apostolate to the diocese of Neyyattinkara in South Kerala. He took charge as the parish priest of St. Mary’s Church, Balaramapuram which was not an easy place in any way. But he continued there for 12 long years patiently serving the parish and dealing with problems and conflicts with his characteristic coolness. Nothing could make him angry or lose his temper. In 2008 he was sent as Parish Priest to Anugraha Matha church at Nemom, with the additional charge of the churches at Ayanimood and Pallichal. The history of Nemom Mission, a forgotten chapter in the history of the Pre-suppression Society, caught his attention and became his passion. He began to collect data and prepare and distribute pamphlets on Nemom Mission and the life of Devasahayam Pillai, the lay martyr of the Mission. He set up Devasahayam Centre at Ayanimood to promote the cause of his sainthood. Recently Vatican had declared Devasahayam Pillai as Blessed, and we hope that in the near future he will be canonized. Fr. James wouldn’t be there to witness that, though it was his long cherished desire. It was a cause dear to him till his death. Early morning on 15 September, he was prayerfully listening to the recorded prayer to Blessed Devasahayam Pillai when he breathed his last.

There is a belief that we should say nothing but good about a person who is no more. In the case of Fr James we need not struggle to do that because the good he did far outweighed his faults. He was simple, patient, and compassionate but firm in his decisions and commitment. In this life he ran the race competing with himself, and not with others. So he could remain happy and peaceful in earthly life and beyond.    

Fr Mani Manimala, SJ